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Mercantile Alliance
The first crafting and artisan guilds began to establish themselves in Aerinlur among the gnome and dwarf artisan and craftsmen roughly two hundred years ago. During King Callam's reign, the trade guilds gained control of Seaport by forming their own governing body called the Mercantile Alliance or more comonly just the Alliance. In 60 NE, the Alliance was able to grab control of virtually every seat on Seaport's City Council. One of the Alliance's first orders of business was to invest in the formation of the Grand Trade Routes, a series of roads and ports that enable goods and crafting supplies to be collected and distributed throughout Keren. The Grand Trade Routes, however, proved almost impossible to secure once they were built. Caravans and ships came under almost constant attack by brigands, monster races, and magical beasts. The decision was reached by the Alliance in 74 NE to sponsor a new guild of professional adventurers- individuals trained not only to guard the caravans, ships, waystations and ports but to track monsterous races and magical beasts to their lairs. The Adventurer's Guild proved adept at not simply hunting threats but securing treasure and rare magical components for the Alliance, allowing it to expand rapidly during the past decade. The Alliance has its main headquarters in Seaport, a city on the border of Faolan and Vallahir which was officially given the status of independent city state from Queen Jaiyana in 93 NE as repayment of debts owed to the Alliance. There are currently eight Alliance regional headquarters in Aerinlur, Eelry, Faerdale, Holly Springs, Jaal, Marble Cove, Quess'ar, and Yarrow Bay. Not every craftsman, artisan, and merchant in Keren is part of the Alliance. Alliance members stamp or engrave a copy of the tradeguild along with their own personal mark into their merchandise and/or shipping containers. There is status attached to their wares. In the cities and towns along the Deepwhisper River, Alliance members have high status and master-level guildsmen are prosperous. Recognized Alliance Guilds By Profession *Arcanists & Enchanters: makers of magic items *Apothecaries: druggists/sellers of medicines and herbs *Armourers *Bakers *Barbers: also practiced surgery and dentistry *Blacksmiths & Farriers *Bookbinders & Mapmakers *Bowyers & Fletchers: makers of bows, quivers, arrows *Brewers: beer makers *Butchers *Cappers: cap makers *Cardmakers: make wool-cards *Carpenters *Chandlers & Lamplighters: candle-makers/sellers *Clothiers/Tailors *Cobblers & Shoemakers *Coopers: make wooden casks, buckets, barrels *Cordwainers: makers of canvas and sails *Couchers: couch-maker, upholsterer *Curriers: the dressing and colouring of leather after it is tanned. *Cutlers: make, deal in, or repair knives *Drapers & Litsters: cloth makers, dyers, and sellers *Dyers: dye cloth and other materials (not leather) *Farmers & Grocers *Fishing/Fishmongers *Founders: casters of metal *Fullers: tread or beat (cloth) for the purpose of cleansing and thickening it *Girdlers: belt-makers *Glaziers & Glass-blowers: glass-makers and installers *Glovers: makers/sellers of gloves *Goldsmiths *Hatmakers *Hosiers: makers/sellers of knitted stockings *Hostlers: stablemen, horse-attendants at inns *Innkeepers *Ironmongers *Jewlers & Gem Merchants *Laborers: dung-sweepers, porters, unskilled laborers, *Lorimers&Spurriers: makers of horse bits, spurs, metal harness pieces, etc., *Mariners: sailors and oceanic traders *Masons: builders, workers of stone *Mercers: textile dealers including fine cloth; rival of Draper's guild *Musicians *Painters *Parchmenters *Pewterers & Casters *Pinners: makers of needles and pins *Plasterers *Potters *Scriveners & Notaries: professional scribes, copyists *Shipwrights *Skinners & Tanners: preparers of skins and leather for commercial use *Smiths: goldsmiths, silversmiths, tinsmiths, etc. *Spicers: dealers in spices *Theatrical & Amusements *Vintners: wine makers & merchants *Weavers *Wrights: woodworkers; carpenters; joiners (cart-, plow-, wainwrights, etc.,)